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The following information about Somali service agencies, community organizations and businesses in and around Seattle was prepared by the Somali Community Services of Seattle, along with EthnoMed. This will be updated as more information becomes available.
Winter/Spring 2004
The number of different organizations registered within the State of Washington to provide services to the Somali community in Puget Sound is increasing and so far there are about 17 registered groups. Six organizations that have physical locations with some staff are described below (Somali Community Services of Seattle, The Somali Community Services Coalition, Refugee Social Development Resource Center, Somali Society Services, Somaliland Community Organization, Northwest Somali Community Center). Many groups aspire toward fundraising to serve the community. The existing organizations offer similar services, however their client/member bases are mostly distinct from each other.
The number of Somali business centers is increasing as the community numbers grow. Our list below includes contact information and locations for 8 Somali community businesses: Tawakal Tax Services, Somali Café & Fast Food, Hamarwayne Mall, Salama Market & Halal Meat, Salaam Tax Services, Towfiq Money Transfer, 101 Auto Inc.
Seattle’s Somali residences are mostly concentrated in Yesler Terrace, Rainier Vista, Washington apartments, MLK apartments, High Point, and White Center, while there are also Somalis living scattered throughout the Seattle area as far north as Lynnwood and Everett and south to Federal Way and Renton. Most Somalis in Puget Sound live in King County, with small numbers also in Snohomish and Pierce Counties.
Address: 3320 Rainier Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98144
Phone: (206) 760-1181, (206) 760-1185 Fax: (206) 760-1186
Email: Socomser2002@yahoo.com
History:
A group of Somali intellectuals, social workers, and elders realized the need to establish a community center to serve the demands of Seattle’s increasing Somali population as early as 1995. The founders put their resources together and started offering basic services. Government agencies and some non-profit organizations supported the emerging organization. SCSS started to employ an executive director and supporting staff to replace the part time volunteers. It was incorporated in 1997 as a community based non-profit organization.
Mission Statement:
The Somali Community Services of Seattle is a community based service organization. Our Mission is to work for the success of the refugees to undergo a smooth transitional process and attain a self-sustainable status in their new country.
The Organization:
The organizational set up consists of a Board of directors, Executive, and supporting staff.
Social Service:
Social Service of SCSS:
SCSS community is the largest center that provides service to the community in and around Seattle. Translation, interpretation and outreach assistance are provided. Immigration documents are filed; job search employment and medical referrals also are available. SCSS helps refugees/immigrants and also citizens who are limited English speakers and can not have access to the services of the mainstream.
Youth and Sport Programs:
Youth is the backbone of the community. SCSS arranges different programs to meet their demands. The sport activities include five soccer and basketball teams, and cultural orientation sessions. The teams' games are not confined only to Washington State, but other teams come from different states to participate in the tournaments. Teams come from, St. Paul, Minnesota, Columbus, Ohio, Portland, Oregon and Vancouver BC. The community is looking for access to some of the indoor games during the winter days to secure the continuity of the sport activities.
Parent Education:
A majority of the refugee parents are either educated in their language or have no education. In the USA they need to learn a new language and culture, here is where the need for parent education arises. SCSS provides parenting classes that cover the following:
Senior Programs:
Oriental culture gives the utmost reverence to the seniors. Seniors are looked at differently in their new home; the social structure and family relationships are dramatically changing mainly with the younger generations who are learning the mainstream culture. Seniors hardly know what is happening with their children and grandchildren. SCSS's role is to find a room for the seniors where they can feel admired, socialize, and have their education and nutrition programs continue. These programs keep them vibrant and contributive to the community. Three of the senior volunteers are members of SCSS's board of directors and sub-committees. The Senior program is held every other Saturday. It provides food served by certified nutritionists from the City of Seattle. Senior health students from University of Washington are invited to give basic health education sessions. SCSS provides interpreters in Somali and Oromo languages. Physical health instructors train the seniors in making appropriate body exercises on a weekly basis. Field trips are also arranged to break the life filled with monotony as a recreation and routine changing process. The seniors benefit from other health related projects, such as Ethnomed, a project at the county hospital aimed to help refugees access health information in their different languages. The project, in partnership with SCSS, translated some health materials and recorded them into oral form, so that the elders come and listen to it from the Internet in SCSS's computer lab. Many of these seniors are helped with social and medical referrals.
Housing Assistance:
Seattle’s moderate climate attracted many Somalis to make it their home. SCSS, for the last seven years, has established working relationship with: Seattle Housing Authority, King County Housing Authority, Muslim Housing Agency, and other transitional housing agencies. SCSS addresses refugees' needs for housing and issues Section 8 Vouchers to homeless families in Seattle in collaboration with SHA. SCSS staff helps in filling out the forms and assisting the new refugees to go through the screening process until they get permanent or temporary housing assistance.
Cultural Orientation:
The refugee community consists of educated, uneducated, seniors, women, children, and youth. These varying social groups have different needs and ways of adopting the new culture. Here is where SCSS and similar organizations help the new refugees to avoid boredom and frustration, give them guidance to what is appropriate and what is not. The role of SCSS is to educate the community members about the advantages and disadvantages of each culture, and to respect the culture and beliefs of others to attain mutual respect in the society at large.
Counseling and Case Management:
SCSS case managers study the concerns of the clients and provide appropriate solutions, referrals, and assistance based on the need type:
After School Program:
Many Somali children did not have a schooling opportunity before coming to the USA. They are graded based on their age not academic level. The need to help the child develop language skills and an academic background is indispensable to the future of the children. The program has the following advantages:
Parent School Connection project:
The schools like to give some time to the parents of their students but due to lack of resources, it is difficult to get funds for bilingual staff to communicate with the parents. This project is setup to meet this need without funds from the school system.
Most parents are either illiterate or educated in their own language, not English, and are not able to communicate with the school. Furthermore, families may depend on their children as the sources of information, when it comes reading the report cards and school correspondence. In many occasions, it happened that the parents received the incorrect information. The need was identified for a third party, a neutral stakeholder, to come in and help both the school and the parents, and also find solutions for the needs of the students. The SCSS is in this role as a grass roots and community based organization, to think about the future of the up coming generation and make them useful to the community instead of a burden.
SCSS started building relationships with the schools through introducing the SCSS program coordinator at area schools. Schools call the SCSS and give the list of the students who have problems, when they need their parents to become aware of or intervene to help the child.
The program coordinator calls the homes and visits the homes. That visit paves the way for a new relationship between the parents and the schools and also SCSS community center. The parents become aware of the situation of their children in the schools. The school gets help from SCSS in communicating with the parent in an appropriate way culturally and linguistically. Parents are referred to our parenting program based on the assessment of the coordinator in one or two visits. This parenting program helps parents understand the American education system and how it works, and they learn their role and the how they can help their children. The project also covers school tours. A group of parents are organized and taken to school for tour. They will get an opportunity to meet with the teachers of their children and see the classrooms and where their children spend 7 to 8 hours daily.
The project also makes it possible for individual parents to make appointments with the schools that their children go to and meet with the administration or the teacher. It is an empowering tool for many parents who have remained helpless for a long time to have an opportunity to sit with teachers of their children and share ideas and concerns. The SCSS role has two dimensions: one in transporting the parent to and from the school and the second in helping the parent speak his/her language and communicate with the teachers. The project coordinator helps parents and the schools find bilingual after school programs for the poorly- performing students in order to help them improve. This is a pilot project. Soon the project gets near to completion and a structured questionnaire shall be formed and filled out with the number of parents served. The schools that the project served shall also be asked to give feed back about the difference they felt during the period of cooperation with SCSS. A consolidated report will be developed comprising the input of the service recipients, the schools and the experience of SCSS throughout the year.
Contact: Ahmed Jama
7101 MLK Jr. Way South # 203
Seattle, WA 98118
The Beginning of SCSC:
Since the collapse of the Somali government in 1991 and the start of the civil war, over 50,000 Somalis have fled to and settled in the United States of America. The number of the Somali refugees who settled in Seattle alone is estimated to be as high as 8,000. The settlers are coming from a war-torn country. These refugees have a multitude of unique needs.
The SCSC is a charitable organization that formed in 1998 to help Somali refugees in the State of Washington. The SCSC assists the Somali refugees in their resettlement activities, and supports their efforts in maintaining their language, cultural and values.
Mission of SCSC: The sole mission of the SCSC is to further the common welfare and well-being of the Somali community in the State of Washington and also to promote and instill in them the American ideals that will help them and result in their eventual successful settlement in the U.S.
Programs and Services:
The needs of our refugees dictate the types of services the organization provides and the programs it offers. The following is a list of the current and potential services and programs of the SCSC:
Needs:
Every community organization’s needs are always more than the available scarce resources. The SCSC is no exception. The needs of the Somali refugee community in Seattle are immense. The majority of the Somali refugees do not speak the English language. The physical environment of the state, climate, culture, the legal and governmental services are all different from experiences refugees used to know. To better serve the refugees so they can make it the U.S, the SCSC welcomes and appreciates financial contributions and moral support.
6740 MLK Jr. Way South
Seattle, WA 98118
Phone: (206) 721-1119, Fax: (206) 721-3821
Email: rsdrc@attbi.com
“Refugees and immigrants are more than images of despair crying out for charity. They are agents of change, of cultural cross fertilization, of development and of growth.”
-Sadako Ogato, the former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
RSDRC’S Mission:
RSDRC is an inclusive organization that is dedicated to improve the well-being and quality of life of refugees and their families, and to preserve their diverse cultural heritage.
RSDRC’s Vision:
To develop and strengthen the capacity of the Somalis in King County at individual, family, and community levels.
RSDRC’s History:
From the beginning of the civil war in 1991, many refugees fled Somalia. The East African nation, at one time colonized by Italy and Britain, has been in throws of civil war for the last 12 years. In the last seven years, approximately 12,000 Somali refugees have made King County their home. In 2000, after many of these Somalis had come to King County, community leaders established a service organization for Somali refugees, the Refugee Social Development Resource Center (RSDRC) out of collaborations and partnerships with local community agencies and stakeholders. RSDRC, incorporated as a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization in 2001, brings together members from major sectors of the Somali Community. RSDRC provides culturally specific advocacy, information, referral and direct service since 2000. The organization is establishing a strong record of service that eases the cultural shock of refugees in King County. This is possible because RSDRC has:
RSDRC programs and services include:
Case Management and Assessment:
Refugees Social Development Resource Center provides comprehensive one-to-one counseling and assessment. Case workers assist individuals and families on issues related to basic needs, such as affordable housing, immigration services, driver's instruction, aging services, and youth services. Each year, RSDRC provides one-to-one counseling to more than 800 individuals.
Refugees Resettlement:
RSDRC is the first Somali Community based organization to provide resettlement services to refugees in King County, including assisting with work permits, filing affidavits of response and referral of community resources.
Advocacy and Support:
RSDRC provides the following legal support services to clients:
Affidavit documentation
Tenant Rights advocacy
Employee Rights advocacy
Housing advocacy
Crime Prevention
RSDRC facilitates parents’ involvement in their children’s education through: Liaison between parents and schools
Offering culturally appropriate workshops for parents
Educating parents about the importance of education
RSDRC assists in Driver’s Instruction by:
Providing instructional classes at the center
Providing DSHS certified interpreter in oral test at DOL officers
Crime Prevention: RSDRC provides programs that target vulnerable groups such youth, women and elders in order to save them from violence, drugs and crimes.
RSDRC’s programs educate Somalis about national/state laws and regulations as they apply to daily life. Programs assist Somalis to become law-abiding citizens and to understand his/her rights and obligations.
RSDRC works closely with law enforcement and crime prevention agencies to assist them in better understanding the Somali culture and barriers that face newcomers in King County.
Youth advocacy/outreach is provided to at-risk youth to connect these youth with social service resources in the community.
Family and Youth Outreach take the form of:
Work with schools
Liaison between parents & teachers
Education about community resources
Organizational Background:
The Somali Society Services is a non-profit organization is South Seattle-King County providing advocacy services for students and parents, academic/leadership services, and services improving the relations in the Somali community by addressing the academic and cultural gap facing Somali youth and their families. Through our programs we hope to better position Somali youth, parents, and other community members to participate fully in public education and other aspects of civic life, and to foster emerging Somali leaders.
The Vision and Mission:
The vision of Somali Society Services is to integrate the Somali community fully into American life, with harmony and peace, while maintaining Somali culture and values. The mission of Somali Society Services is to provide a welcoming place for the Somali community, especially for youth and families seeking services related to problems facing them today. The organization works to build bridges between the Somali community and mainstream US culture through academic and cultural programs.
Issues Addressed:
The major challenge in developing young leaders in Seattle’s Somali community is the educational and cultural gap facing young Somalis and their families. Public schools currently lack the cultural and linguistic capacity to meet the needs of Somali students. The resulting frictions between Somali youth, their parents, and the school system have led to cultural isolation, low academic achievement, high dropout rates, and a host of related social and economic problems that threaten the well being of the entire Somali community.
Goals and Objectives:
A. Increase academic performance of Somali youth.
B. Reduce school dropout rate among Somali students.
C. Increase Somali parent and community involvement.
D. Prevent involvement in drugs and crime among Somali youth.
E. Increase communication between the Somali community and the School Districts.
F. Build understanding of Somali culture in the mainstream community, while strengthening the self-esteem of Somali youth.
Services:
The Northwest Somaliland Society estimates there are several thousands of Somalis in the Seattle area who come from the northern Somaliland region of Somalia. The NW Somaliland Society is an organization that has operated for three years, providing a place for community members to gather. At the Somaliland community center, seniors have the opportunity to socialize with their peers, learn some English and care for youth and children. Youth and children have a place to practice their homework with peers. For three years, all resources at the community have been material donations and volunteer time given by the community members.
Education of children and adults is the main priority. Each day on the weekend, the house is full, the upstairs with the older women, girls and younger children. The lower-level is where the men and boys meet together. The youth are kept busy on the weekends, and the women believe it is important to continue to provide a stimulating, learning environment for the children, so they don't get into trouble. 60 youth routinely gather at the organization each weekday. The organization wants to begin a youth tutoring program for math and English. A future goal is to also have Somali language classes for the youth. The volunteer coordinators say that some of the children have a hard time pronouncing Somali words as they are learning and speaking only English in school and with their peers all day.
There are 6 computers at the organization. The organization welcomes health education programs and seeks to participate in the Senior Lunch Program offered by the City. The organization does not seek to provide social service referrals.
The women want to start sewing classes for the women, and for girls sixth grade and older. They would like to sell the items they sew as a sort of small-business, supporting the community. Members have donated two sewing machines so far in meeting this goal.
The organization is in need of:
WE SERVE THE ENTIRE SOMALI COMMUNITY
2314 E. Union St. Suite 202
Seattle, WA 98122
Tel. (206) 324-2111; Fax: (206) 324-2093
Email: nwscc@hotmail.com
Executive Director: Abdihakim Hassan
NWSCC is a Somali community organization that coordinates direct services such as homelessness prevention, resettlement counseling, and referrals to other social service organizations for Somali refugees and community members. The organization has a council to facilitate dialogue and to act as a resource group for community members and leaders of several Somali community organizations. The Northwest Somali Community Center also manages an E-Group for quick email communication among the council members, serving as a central distribution site of messages between community leaders. The NWSCC organization led a study and conducted workshops at New Holly neighborhood as part of an intervention to address housing acculturation issues; and most recently, the organization has coordinated a project to protect the traditions and memories of stories among Somali immigrants by writing down traditional stories and producing books in the Somali language for distribution in the community.
Organizational Background
The Northwest Somali Community Center is a not-for-profit, 501 C-3, founded on October 31, 2002.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Northwest Somali Community Center (NWSCC) is to develop programs and strategies to improve the quality of life for Somali refugees in the State of Washington. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for Somali refugees by community consultation, public education, settlement assistance and community services.
We are an association of individuals who assist individuals and families with adjustments, settlement and integration.
History
The Somali community has a long history of self-help. Even before our arrival in America as refugees, due to the Civil War, each clan or tribe was responsible to assist other members in need. Older men and women, with the input of the young adults would meet in various households and lead the discussions for problem solving. During those meetings, issues of the community, families and individuals would be addressed in a collective manner. This same system of problem solving lead into discussions of the current issues facing the Somali community in Seattle, such as: secure employment; housing opportunities; education challenges with English as a second language; Somali reconciliation; and, the services currently being provided within King County to be culturally appropriate. Based on these discussions it was concluded that a nonprofit organization be formed to address these issues in a formal capacity.
Hence, the NWSCC was established. Because of our limited resources as refugees, we began a membership drive and collecting donations to raise the startup capital to secure office space and cover other direct costs. Currently, we have over 1000 members and services are being offered to all who request help.
Through focus groups, critical issues facing the Somali community were identified. Out of the focus groups, the program priorities were developed. It was agreed by the membership that the number one issue facing the Somali community was homelessness, No. 2 was employment, and No. 3 was Somalia reconciliation. Due to lack of financial resources, and the organization being staffed by volunteers, it was agreed that we begin by focusing on the most critical issue, homelessness, and to provide referrals for other services until we can provide them through the organization. Over the last 12 months, the NWSCC has served over 150 people and has documented over 2000 volunteer hours.
Aims and Objectives:
Our Policy:
The services and programs at Northwest Somali Community Center are available to all and everyone, regardless of race, religion, color, creed, sex, age, gender, social status, or ethnic origin.
Activities
Currently, the program focus is on addressing homelessness prevention in the Somali community. These services are provided through our volunteer bank, which include the core office staff that coordinates organizational operations. The core staff is equivalent to 1.5 FTE. The direct support they coordinate include social service referrals, housing availability, counseling, transportation to potential housing, moving assistance, workshops providing information on tenant rights, mentoring programs and peer support initiatives. These services are being provided bilingually in a culturally appropriate environment to ensure maximum results. Below is a summary of the activities and community support services our agency provides:
Social Service Referral
NWSCC has referred over 150 families through a service delivery network that includes DSHS, Red Cross, King County Health Department, Mutual Assistance Associations, U.S. State Department, and Community Colleges Network in order to access services for the elderly, youth, child care, immigration assistance, energy assistance, medical assistance, drivers training, employment, English as a second language, and other services tailored to meet the needs of community members.
Housing
Housing availability services are provided by maintaining a list of both houses and apartments that are available for rent; we assist with interpretation and completing applications. Advocacy is provided for dispute resolution with landlords to prevent homelessness. As well, a network of residents has been established made up of people who have agreed to accept individuals and families into their homes during a housing transitional period.
Counseling
Counseling is provided for refugee resettlement. The counseling provides bilingual and culturally appropriate information, referrals, and advocacy services to access a broad range of social and support services.
Transportation
Transportation services are available through our volunteer bank. Volunteers use their personal vehicles to help those who need rides for various social services based appointments. An example of such appointments would be DSHS, medical treatment or for housing appointments. Emergency transportation is provided on weekends. A valid driver's license and insurance are requirements for all volunteer drivers. These transportation services are offered on an "as need be" basis seven days a week.
Moving Assistance
NWSCC assists with moving needs. Volunteer movers will assist in transporting family belongings to their new residence.
Workshops
Our organization conducts workshops on tenants' rights, English as a second language, immigration services, and employment.
Mentoring
Mentoring services are available to assist in the resettlement of new residents, as well as to promote family stabilization for those who have challenges related to their new environment. The mentoring services include adult to adult, youth to youth, and marriage counseling for the transition into the local culture and community.
Over the last 12 months, because of our various direct services, NWSCC has intervened to prevent homelessness in over 150 families. Additionally, we provided several workshops in tenants’ rights, and established a tenants’ support and advocacy group. The advocacy group has over 50 volunteers who have contributed over 2000 hours.